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The First Arcturan Guards were the first truly federal unit to be created by the newly-formed Lyran Commonwealth after the founding of the Commonwealth in 2341.[1] Originally simply the First Capitol Guards – the Arcturan Guards brigade only becoming known as the Arcturan Guards, rather than the Capitol Guards, when the seat of the Commonwealth government was relocated from Arcturus to Tharkad[2] – the unit was initially a division of infantry and armor and was commissioned to defend the realm. When the First Royal Guards were designated as the honor guard for the Archon, the First Arcturan was tasked with becoming the primary force for planetary assault and occupations, a role it would continue to train for centuries later.[1]

Throughout the Star League era the First continued to train in several specialised areas; in addition to the expected training in both assault and siege tactics the First also trained extensively in the construction of defensive works, both using combat-engineering vehicles and using BattleMechs. As the First's proficiency in using BattleMechs for construction increased, so did the average weight of the 'Mechs preferred by the pilots; a key factor in this shift was the need for the muscle strength of larger designs for use when constructing fortifications.[1]

In 2719 the First were deployed to Solaris VII in response to intelligence uncovered that indicated the build-up of a BattleMech regiment on the planet by the Free Worlds League. Having arrived at a Lagrange point near Solaris VII the First deployed via combat drop around the 'Mech production factories that encircled the planetary capital, and while the heaviest 'Mechs worked on constructing temporary fortifications the First's heavy 'Mechs and their lighter assault 'Mechs circled the city, enclosing it completely. This stopped the League forces from forming a plan of attack, and after six months the League forces were pulled off-world. The League unit had been intended to act as a heavy raiding force, striking towards Alarion and its surrounding worlds, athough this was strenuously denied by House Marik; thanks to the actions of the First Guards, diplomacy won the day.[1]

The First rotated back to Arcturus in or around 2765, following a posting on the border with the Draconis Combine. Despite the increasing tensions on the border the First avoided any significant action during its time on the border, firing a grand total of eight shots during the entire duration of the posting. Although the First was recorded as only being fifty-percent combat-capable when it first returned to Arcturus, that increased to seventy percent after the bulk of the personnel used up their leave time. Having upgraded the First's combat rating following their leave, the Commanding Officer of the regiment, Colonel Stubing, was reportedly planning for a wave of paternity leave in 2766.[2]

Like all of the regiments of the Arcturan Guard, the biggest problems the First faced during the latter years of the Star League era were a mix of boredom and ennui – the Star League Defense Force provided a viable enough deterrent that the Arcturan Guards were rarely required to perform large-scale military operations, leaving them mostly performing a mix of training and garrison duty.[2]

One hex may be designated as a defensive position for every four units from the First Arcturan Guards.[3]

A defensive position may not be designated within eight hexes of the opposing player's home edge.[3]

A defensive position provides a +1 to-hit modifier for any weapon attacks against a First Guards unit that ends its turn in that hex, but won't provide the full effects of partial leg cover – leg location hits need not be rerolled.[3]